Essential Tips For A Healthier Workforce

Successful leaders all have one thing in common – they understand that a healthy workforce means better business. A fit and strong workforce take fewer days off sick, are more productive, and can handle complicated problems in a more agile way. So, the big question is; what can you do to promote a better lifestyle for your workforce? Read on to find out several ideas that should help.

Healthy eating choices

If you have a staff canteen, make sure you are providing plenty of healthy options for your staff members. There is a lot of research available that suggests that if nutritious food is on offer, employees will tend to go for it. Look at this study from the Journal of Food Research. In it, the authors describe a test setting where healthy, and unhealthy food were positioned in a University canteen. The results show something very interesting. The healthy food and snacks were chosen more, depending on where they were located. Could this be something you could use in your staff canteen?

Another option is to provide fruit and nuts at workstations. This provides two main advantages. Firstly, it means your employees won’t have to get up and go to the canteen. And the second is that they will cut down on the amount of snacks from the vending machine that they consume. Sometimes, it’s the simple things that work best. And these little nudges can help you promote a healthier attitude to eating in your workplace.

Promoting exercise

Exercise is vital for the human body. We haven’t evolved to sit behind desks all day long, so the office-based worker is at more risk from, say, the manual laborer. But what can you do to encourage more physical activity? Stand up workstations are certainly one option. But even implementing a maximum sit-down time can help nudge your workers to take a break and go for a walk.

You could also speak to local gyms about giving your employees memberships. As long as you keep tabs on how many times a week they are using it, it’s a great way of promoting fitness and exercise. Another option is using one of the many cycle schemes that are around. The government will allow these as a tax-free incentive, and you get a healthier workforce. In fact, even the mere installation of a shower, changing room, and bench seating can have an impact on your employee’s fitness. If they know they can get cleaned up and changed after working up a sweat, they will be more likely to exercise.

Stay on top of health and safety

Finally, you have to make sure you are complying with the government’s employer health and safety directives. Doing so will reduce the risk of your workforce having accidents. If they do, it means time off work, the cost of replacing them, and possible legal repercussions.

A healthy workforce will bring your business better results – of that, there is no doubt. However, as an employer, it’s down to you to make the right changes.